


Summer Nights and Fall Weather Friends

by mage_989



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Friends to Lovers, McSpirk Holiday Fest, Multi, Post-Break Up, Relationship(s), Secret Relationship, Starfleet Academy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-20 21:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14902527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mage_989/pseuds/mage_989
Summary: Jim is suffering from a bad breakup so McCoy thinks this probably isn’t the best time to tell his friend that he started dating again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Fill for the Mcspirkholidayfest where you take half of the pairing, Spones in this case, and turn it into Mcspirk. You also had to use a song out of a choice of three and I was inspired by Weird Al Yankovic’s ‘One More Minute’
> 
> Also I’m trying out a new thing of doing this story as a series of shorter smaller scenes kind of like a written version of a montage.

“Who was that pointed-eared bastard?”

“I don’t know, but I like him.”

 

If one were to ask Spock if he enjoyed his time at Starfleet Academy, first they would be treated to a lecture that as a Vulcan he did not enjoy things in a colloquial sense, and then he would describe his time there as adequate.  Moving away from being a student into an instructor’s role along with his tenure on space missions had proven to be quite fulfilling.  There was only one downside Spock had noted and that was his growing distaste for time away from the academy on field work assignments.  They often involved younger students who were less cautious and more boisterous, and as a result those projects rarely met Spock’s high expectations.

All of that was on the forefront of Spock’s mind as the vessel his group was on had capsized and he found himself being pulled back to shore by a complete stranger who had jumped in to help.

The stranger continued to help once everyone had reached the bank.  He pulled out what Spock recognized as a medical tricorder from his bag and began looking over the group, glaring at Spock when he tried to get up.

“Sir, I am perfectly fine.”

“I’m a doctor so I’ll be the judge of how fine you are.”

Despite Spock’s desire to not be under scrutiny the exam took longer than the others as Spock find it difficult to focus on instructions.  Not because of an injury, but because the man had very…distracting hands.

“All right now I’m convinced you’re fine you’re free to go.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Mr…?”

“McCoy, Leonard McCoy.”

“Well, Mr. McCoy, as my research equipment is for the foreseeable future acting as a fish habitat.  I find myself with an influx of free time.  Would you be interested in going for coffee?”

Spock found himself taken aback by his abrupt question and McCoy found himself equally taken back when he answered yes.

***

“You’re breaking up with me?” Jim asked leaning back in his chair in disbelief.

Janet tried to be reassuring. “Jim, it’s not you it’s me.”

Well if that wasn’t the oldest line in the book.  Why didn’t she just rip out his heart and stomp on it while she was at it?

“I’ve had an offer an Alderbaran III and-”

“With Theodore right?”

Janet frowned and gripped her PADD tightly. 

“Yes, he’s going too.  It’s a great opportunity, Jim.”

“But what about us?”

Janet sighed.  “Our careers are the most important things to us we both know that.  I mean look at us we’re sitting here having a study date for the third time in two weeks!”

Others in the library glared at them as Janet’s voice rose and Jim decided to double down on the disruption.  He loudly grabbed his things and stood up.

“Well if I’m just a distraction on the way to the ass end of space then you shouldn’t spend one more minute on me!”

He stormed out and deleted her contact info before he was even halfway down the block.  On the bright side at least Jim told himself now had more free time, maybe he could take up a new hobby like eating shards of broken glass.

***

Summer was over and the fall semester had begun.  McCoy was returning to campus and got the third door slammed in his face from shock as he smiled at other students.  He really should tone it down he supposed.  There wasn’t anything against him continuing to date Spock as they shared nothing in the way of classwork, but he knew the Vulcan liked his privacy and he should probably keep things on the down low for the foreseeable future.

That decision was further confirmed as the right move when he came into his dorm room and found Jim sprawled out on the floor by the bathroom door, pictures of him and Janet printed out and ripped to shreds all around him.

 “Nice to see you had a good summer.”

“Janet broke up with me.”

“Yeah, I gathered that from the confetti you’ve created.  I didn’t expect you to be quite so broken up about it though.”

Dropping his bag McCoy went over to his friend and pulled him up. “Well come on you can’t spend the semester trying to crush your hand in the door.”

“Can I try?”

“Not on my watch.”

***

“Mr. Kirk.”

Jim started and looked up from his PADD that currently contained more doodles than notes.

 Professor Spock was glaring at him with that steady Vulcan calm and it left Jim wondering if the black uniforms had always looked so good on everyone.

“If my class is so unengaging I have a suggestion.”

***

“And then you know what that pointed-eared bastard said?”

“Can’t imagine,” McCoy mumbled, not taking his eyes off the table.

“He told me to challenge the course.”

“Well I think it’s a great idea, Jim.”

Jim stared at him in shock. “Wait you’re agreeing with him?!”

“Hey you wanted to complete this in three years and complained to me that you had to spend the summer doing extra course work so I thought you would jump at the chance to finish a class early,” McCoy said, getting up and grabbing his jacket.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.  Those of us who didn’t fill our course load to bursting get to enjoy our Saturday night.  Have fun studying.”

Jim pulled up the challenge page of the academy website the moment McCoy was out the door.      

***

Janet was having a party and he was invited.

Okay technically it was a party for everyone going to that out the way outpost.  It was just taking place in the rec room in Janet’s building and her friend had sent out the invites, probably to rub it in his face.  But he had free time and networking was important.  Still to see Janet with Theodore up close well he’d rather have his intestines ripped out with a fork thank you very much.  At least then Bones would be able to fix that and-Bones that was it!

“Bones, what are you doing Friday night?”

“Not watching you get drunk at the bar that’s what.”

“Perfect then you’re free to be my date for Janet’s party.”

“Your what?!”

Jim winced at his roaring outburst.  “Look I know it’s not your thing, but I don’t want to go to this thing alone and you don’t even have to do anything!  We just show up and act happy.  You can act happy right?”

McCoy rolled eyes.  “Why do you even want to go to a party you know your ex is going to be at?  There’s a reason I put the entire country between me and Jocelyn.”

“It’s a networking thing.  A bunch of the faculty will probably be there and I should have contacts for other areas in Starfleet and I don’t want to go alone.  Please?”

McCoy sighed and reluctantly agreed.  What were friends for after all?  It was only one night how bad could it be?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this didn't get updated as fast as I wanted, but the final part is here!

McCoy learned that it indeed could be very bad about two hours into the party. 

It had started off well enough though. There was somewhat decent food, a lack of ear-bleeding music, and the brownnosers shook hands once and then thankfully moved on so McCoy could forget their names just as quickly. With Jim also partaking in a lot of the so called networking he mostly kept his hands to himself, with the occasional arm slung over McCoy’s shoulder. It was only when Jim spotted Janet on the arm of Theodore that the stupid shindig went south as Jim completely lost his mind. He crossed the room to where McCoy had found an empty wall to lean against, pushed him harder against it, spilling his and McCoy’s drinks with that move and kissed him.

As Jim pulled back, his eyes focused elsewhere, while McCoy’s focused on something he had missed before: familiar dark hair framing pointed ears that was walking out the door.

“Oh, shit.”

McCoy tore out the door leaving a baffled Jim in his wake.

“Bones, wait!”

McCoy quickly got outside, scanned the area, and found Spock a short distance for the building’s entrance.

“Spock, wait I can explain!”

Spock turned around.

“I am listening.”

McCoy was momentarily silenced. That was not the answer he’d expected. “Really?”

“Your body language indicated that that was an...unexpected experience. So, I will let you tell me exactly what is going on.”

“Wh-well then why do you leave?”

“You know that I covet privacy.”

They moved away from the path and Spock sat down on a nearby bench.

McCoy had just opened his mouth to give the most embarrassing explanation of his life when Jim came running up to them.

“Bones, what the hell was that?”

Spock raised an eyebrow at Jim’s outburst, but McCoy held up his hands between them. The jig was up and it was clearly time to come clean to all involved.

“He stays, Spock. Jim, you should hear this too.”

“Hear what? What is going on, Bones?!”

McCoy glared at him and Jim wisely shut up and let him speak. 

“I came as a favour to Jim, Spock. I didn’t know you would be there too and I never thought he would do that with me.”

“Okay, you’re right, Bones, I’m sorry it was too much, but, why on Earth does it matter to him?”

“Because ...he’s my boyfriend.”

Jim gaped at the friend he thought he’d known.

“Are you serious?”

“Leonard is correct. We have been involved since the summer.”

Jim couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but the use of McCoy’s first name by the Vulcan confirmed it. 

“That-that long you didn’t-why didn’t you tell me!?”

“Because you’ve spent all this time moping over Janet and I didn’t want to seem like I was rubbing it in your face.”

“So all those times you went out it was to be with him?! You lied to me!”

“I didn’t lie! I did go out I just didn’t say I was with someone.”

“And you thought I’d hate you if you said you were! I can’t believe you think I’m so fragile that I couldn’t handle that!”

“Yeah I can tell you’re really emotionally stable, Jim, cause you’re doing a great job of showing it right now!”

“Fine, enjoy him. I’ll go drink my sorrows away in some bar so you don’t have to watch me fall to pieces.”

“Jim, that’s not what I-”

“Forget it!” he shouted, turned on his heel and stormed off.

***

It was Monday morning before Jim dragged himself back to campus, but not to the dorms to Spock’s office.

“Come in.”

When Spock took note of his visitor he sat up straighter in his chair. 

“Mr. Kirk.”

“Do you make him happy?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You and Bones being together. I’m not going to say I get it, but, do you make him happy?”

Spock sat back thoughtfully.

“I believe I do,” he answered honestly.

“Okay that’s good. It’s just…he’s been hurt before and I don’t want to see him go through that again.”

“Then I wish to reassure you that I hold Leonard in the highest regard.”

“Okay.”

Jim turned to leave, but Spock felt there was more that needed to be said and stood up.

“Mr. Kir-Jim, if I may be bold I believe that I am not the only one capable of hurting him.”

Jim turned back around.

“What do you mean?”

“Leonard has contacted me multiple times over this weekend, clearly worried about your safely. I believe it is imperative to his emotional well-being that your relationship be on healthy terms as well. ”

“I’ll go talk to him.”

“See that you do and you know that I will know if you do not.”

Jim nodded feeling the tension thaw between them. They didn’t have to like each other, but they both cared for McCoy and that was enough.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

***

“Jim, you look like crap.”

“Thanks.”

McCoy made sure Jim took a shower and shoved a proper, if late, breakfast in front of him and watched him eat it all.

“So, can I talk now?” Jim asked, around his last bite of pancake.

“It better be good.”

“First up I’m sorry for blowing up about you and Spock. Yeah it was a shock that you’re dating again and him of all people I mean he’s just so…Spock. And yeah I was being a jerk about Janet ‘specially with dragging you to that stupid party and kissing you just to try and show her up. It’s just she was different. Sure I flirt and have fun, but Janet, she’s driven and smart and knew what she wanted and I actually thought we had something more I mean she was just so…me!” 

McCoy chuckled. “Well I guess you could say that’s why I like Spock. He’s so not me. And I’m sorry too, Jim, I should have told you about him before agreeing to go. I just thought I was helping.”

“You were helping me I mean you could have told me no to that party. And you we giving me space and time before that and I appreciate it I really do, but you don’t have to hide it anymore. Sure I kind of still find it weird, but I’m happy for you even if this is awkward.”

McCoy reached over and gripped Jim’s arm firmly.

“And I’d rather it be awkward, Jim, then spending my nights worried I’m going to get a call that they found you in a ditch somewhere.”

“All right.”

Jim was going to wait to share his next bit of news, but thought that since not sharing info had gotten them into this mess it was best to just deal with it now.

“And you know since we’re being honest I should let you know that I’ve got a chance to get to know Spock better now too.”

“What do you mean?”

“He said I scored one of the best results he’s ever seen for challenging his course and he wants me to help others with it for the next two semesters.” 

“You don’t mean…?”

“Yeah, I’m Spock’s new TA.”

“Goddammit this is awkward let’s go get a drink.”

***

The weeks continued on a rhythm came to be built up between the three of them. Jim and Spock had their days and McCoy and Spock had several evenings of their own. They even started doing things as a group occasionally. Such was the case tonight after McCoy was convinced that Spock was contaminating Jim with overwork and insisted on making dinner at Spock’s apartment. Having made sure everyone had second and third helpings McCoy was sprawled on the couch digesting as Jim was falling in love with a chess set Spock had on display.

“Do you play, Jim?”

“Haven’t in a while, someone doesn’t like it,” he said, glancing over to the couch.

“That’s because those of us with taste like to be able to stay awake when playing games.” 

“Would you be interested in a game?” Spock asked, choosing to ignore their jabs at each other.

“Sure.”

“Great because if there’s anything I like more than playing that game it’s watching other people play it.”

“Oh, come it’ll be fun, Bones.”

McCoy rolled his eyes knowing he was in for a boring rest of the night. “I should have lied and said I was single.”

***

The end of the semester had arrived and with it everyone’s favourite thing: more field work.

“I want it on record that I think this is a terrible idea.”

“You’re objection is noted, Leonard.”

McCoy looked over from where he was huddled up in several layers and sulking from the frozen wasteland they were going to visit.

“Why are you so calm about this? I thought you hate this stuff?”

Spock raised an eyebrow at McCoy’s overly enthusiastic description of his appreciation of field work. “Jim is far more studious than many others I have taken on such assignments and I am certain this will prove to be a productive excursion.” 

Jim smiled. “See, Bones, Spock trusts me and you can’t ask for better judgement.” 

McCoy snorted.

“Oh, please last time he did this I had to keep him from drowning and knowing you I’ll have to drag your reckless ass out of a pool of razor blades.”

“You worry too much, Bones, what could go wrong?”

***

“I think it’s broken in six different places!”

People looked up as a limping Jim came into the small resort, Spock and McCoy holding him up on either side.

“What could go wrong he said? We should have known better then to tempt fate.”

They got him on the closest couch and McCoy was able to do a proper exam. 

“How bad is it?” Jim asked.

“Thankfully you only broke it in one place. So you’ll live, but you’re staying put for the rest of this field trip.”

“Why?”

“Because my med-kit doesn’t come with a bone knitter you’re healing this the old fashioned way.”

“You should stay with him, Leonard. I can finish the necessary tasks alone.”

“You’re sure?”

“Indeed and you have made your aversion to the cold here quite clear and I would wish you to be comfortable.”

“All right as long as you’re sure.” 

Spock nodded and made to leave again when Jim reached out and lightly held his wrist. 

“Be careful.”

“I shall.”

***

As the hours went by the people slowly dwindled down to just to Jim and McCoy, having run out of interesting old movies and game shows to watch on the holo-vision, still on the couch, and craning their necks back to check the door regularly. 

“He should be back by now.”

“I should have made him take a communicator.”

“I should have made you go with him.”

“Jim, this is not your fault.”

“Who fell and broke their ankle?”

“And who agree to stay?” McCoy countered.

“Yeah, but you always do that. You always put me ahead of everything. You did it with Janet you did it with this and I just…I shouldn’t-”

“Shouldn’t what?”

“Shouldn’t be intruding like this!” Jim exclaimed waving his arms between them. “You have Spock and Spock’s amazing and here I am taking you away from him.”

“He wanted to go and he is right I hate it out there, and beside who else I am going watch ancient b-movies with? Spock hates that stuff.” 

“Yeah, but-”

“But nothing, Jim, look just because I’m with Spock doesn’t mean we need to stop being together.” 

“It’s still different.”

“Not to me.”

“Really?”

“Really-”

McCoy found himself cut off as Jim leaned in started kissing him, and unlike the last time it was soft, gentle, and reciprocated. Of course it didn’t take long for reality to set it and Jim shoved him away.

“Oh, god, Bones, I am so sorry!”

McCoy was speechless, but another voice answered for him.

“You should not be.”

The turned their heads to other side of the room.

“Spock, how long have you been here?!” McCoy asked in horror.

“Long enough.”

“We can explain!” they exclaimed simultaneously.

“There is no need. I have been observing this shift between us for some time now, but I wished to see that conditions were optimal before proceeding.”

He moved over from the far corner where he had been watching and joined them on the couch.

“Your affection for each other that I witnessed just now is not uniquely yours. I know you still care for me, Leonard and Jim’s description of me is flattering if general. As for myself I find Jim stimulating and, Leonard, you are passionate; and believe it could be beneficial for all of us to be together completely. That we could be…happy.”

“Why, Spock, that’s down right poetic.”

“I’m glad you agree with me on this decision, Leonard.”

“Wait I didn’t say-”

He was cut off as Jim cuddled in close to his side.

“Shh, Bones, you’ll disturb the injured,” Jim said, reaching one arm around McCoy to brush his fingers against Spock’s. 

McCoy had to admit it was cute to see, but a part of him still wondered what he was agreeing to with two reckless dolts to look after now and had a gruff response at the ready.

“Single I should have remained single.”

The End


End file.
